Internal-combustion engine.



B. T. McCANNA & F. C. HEINEN.

Patented. July 10; 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l- A tier nays- B. T. McCANNA & Ffc. HE lNEN. INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE.

v I APPLICATION FILED APR. 8,191.2. mg mg Patented July 10, 1917.

' s SHEETS-SHEETZ.

Attarnys B. T. McCANNA & F. c. HEINEN.

INTERNAL CQMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED Ame. 1912.

Witnesses Atofnegs B. T. McCANNA & F. C. HEINEN. INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1912. I Lfifififimg, Patented July 10, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4. v

' Az'om w B. T, McCANNA-'& F. C. H'EINEN.

iNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLlCATION FILED APR-8, 1912.

Patented'luly 10, 1917.

6 $HEETSSHEET 5 Attofineys B. T. McCANNA & F. C. HEINEN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1912A. I

Patented July 10, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

| 5 E u v I J 36 Hi 3 T l l 4 A tozvzeys r l l l provements pm s'rarsranr men.

BENJAMIN T. MGCANNA AND FRANK C. HEINEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOBE: OF ONE-HALF TO NATHAN F. LEOPOLD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed April 8, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BnNJAMiN T. Mo- ,lANNA and FRANK C. HEINEN,citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful IminInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear,concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to internal combustion engines. We have come tothink of an engine constructed in accordance with our invention as avalveless four-cycle engine.

This does not mean that there is no means for controlling the admissionand exhaust from the engine cylinders. It does mean, however, that ourinvention provides a means whereby all of the ordinary forms of puppet,piston, sleeve and rotary valves are entirely eliminated. While, inaccordance with our invention, the opening of all of the ports foradmission and exhaust is controlled by the working piston of the engine,the cycle of operations in the engine cylinder .conforms with the usualpractice in four-cycle engines here is a combustion stroke in onedirection, followed by an exhaust in the reverse direction; this in turnis followed by an intake stroke in the forward direction, followed inturn by a compression stroke which completes the cycle.

The opening and closing of the ports necessary for this four-cycleoperation is effected by giving to the piston, not only the ordinarymovement of reciprocation, but in combination therewith a movement ofrotation about its axis of generation.

As will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings,the engine of our invention avoids the application of the ordinary valvemechanism. It provides means for securing a closer approach to the idealof four-cycle operation. It attains closely ideal conditions from athermodynamic standpoint without resorting to valve mechanism or valveoperating mecha nism, which is subject to rapid wear. Notwithstandingthese advantages, the engine of our invention can be constructed at lesscost than engines heretofore developed.

The conservatism of the above statement will appear from a considerationof a pre- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 191W.

Seria1 No. 689,106.

ferred embodiment of our invention, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a left-hand side elevation of anautomobile engine constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a right-hand side elevation with parts broken away to revealthe internal construction and operation;

Fig. 8 is across-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 with partsbroken away;

Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one of the pistons and its associatedmechanism;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the piston rotating mechanism in which certainparts are shown in cross-section;

Fig. 6 is a development of the piston rotating cam surface;

Fig. 7 is a detail of certain ports and passages in cross-section;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the piston taken. through the center of thewrist pin;

Figs. 9 to 16 inclusive show the piston at various points in the strokeof the engine, as indicated diagrammatically in connection with eachsuch figure;

Fig. 17 illustrates the position of the piston at the end of the intakestroke; and

Fig. 18 illustrates the position of the piston just prior to thecompletion of the firing stroke.

' Like characters of reference are applied to corresponding parts in theseveral figures.

The crank case is formed of two parts 20 and 21 divided at 22 upon theplane of the axis of the crank shaft 23. The cylinders 24:, 24 are castin pairs with water jackets 25, 2.5 surrounding the cylinder heads asshown. The cylinders are provided with flanges 26, 26 by means of whichthe cylinders are bolted to the crank case. Each cylinder contains aworking piston 27. Each piston is provided with a connecting rod 28,provided with a hearing at the lower end to engage a crank 29. Theconnection of the connecting rod with the piston is unusual. This detailis best illustrated in Fig. 8, which shows an alinement bearing whichconstitutes a universal joint of limited range. This joint is formed ofa segment of a sphere 30 which fits tightly upon the pin 31. A splitbearing 32 engages the ball and is in turn gripped by the clamping ring33, into which the upper end of the operation.

- exhaust port the guide studs.

ecting crank arm 48 the connecting rod is formed. This specialconnection between the connecting rod and the piston is designed topermit the piston to receive a motion of rotation around itslongitudinal axis in addition to the ordinary reciprocating motion ofengine pistons.

-Before proceeding to a description of the piston controlling mechanism,it may be well to explain generally that the passage of gases to andfrom the head of the piston is controlled wholly by the movement of thepiston. Figs. 4 and 8 best illustrate the piston passageway whichpermits this mode of A hole or channel 84 is cored or drilled from thehead of the piston down through a rib or leg 35 which extends down theinside of the hollow piston. At 36, is milled a slot which connects withthis piston passageway. The slot will ordinarily be cut 011 a lineextending around the surface of the piston more or less closely inaccord with the line of a helix of high pitch. It is through this pistonslot andpassageway that the intake of gas occurs as also the exhaust ofpart, at least, of the products of combustion.

The cylinder wall is provided withintake and exhaust ports with whichthis piston slot is brought into register at the proper periods in thecycle of the engine, the proper connection between the piston slot andthe inlet and exhaust rotating the Fig. 7 illustrates the in registerwith the inlet port 38. Figs. 9 to 16 illustrate the position of theinlet port 38, as also the position of the auxiliary 39. The mainexhaust takes place through the main exhaust ports 40, the piston beingprovided with shutters 41, which close these main exhaust ports'exceptat the end of the ignition stroke.

aving now indicated in a general way the means employed for controllingthe admission and exhaust, to and from the cylinder head, we shalldescribe the mechanism for imparting the necessary motion of rotatio nto the piston. Each piston is provided with one or more guide holes 42.A guide stud 43 projects into each with a smooth running lit. liVe haveillustrated two guides and guide studs, both of the studs being securedrigidly to the turn ing plate 44. A guide ring 45 fitting within a seatcounterbored in the lower end of the cylinder at'46 maintains thealinement of and uide plate 44. The guide "plate is supported by theplate 47 which is bolted to the cylinder, as indicated. The guideplate44 is provided with a propiston slot 86 is attached the cam roller gagesthe sides of theslot he'cam is mounted with other cylinders upon 49. Thecam en- 50 of the cam 51. similar cams for a cam shaft 52.

such guide hole in which or to which This cam shaft is carried insuitable bearings formed in the crank case and is driven from the crankshaft of the engine by means ofthe sprocket wheels 53 and 54coiiperating with the link belt 55. The cam shaft is driven athalf-engine speed.

Assuming the. engine to be in rotation, it will be apparent that the camshat't operating through a cam and its associated guide plate and studswill give to each piston a motion of rotation in addition to itsordinary motion of reciprocation, the nature and amount of therotational movement of each piston being dependent upon the layout ofthe working surfaces of the cam. Fig. (3 illustrates the developedsurface of a cam designed to impart to the piston amotion which willbring the parts at dili'crent stages of the cycle into positionsillustrated in Figs. 9 to 18 inclusive. Nine positions of the piston areindicated upon the development of the cam and similar positions of thepiston are indicated in Figs. 9 to .1 (i inclusive. It will be apparentthat the cam surfaces may be designed to control the degree of rotationof the piston and also to control the time at which the rotation of thepiston occurs.

l Ve believe that the mode of operation of the parts involved inrotating the piston will be made clear by a consideration of the motionimparted to the piston.

Fig. 9 shows the piston at the top of the cylinder, the engine being inmotion as in,- dicated by the crank the top of the figure. Fig. 10 showsthe piston after the crank has moved through ninety degrees. It will beseen that as the piston descends the slot 36 is kept in register withthe inlet port 38, due to a gradual motion of rotation which isimparted. to the piston during its down stroke. Fig. 1.1 shows thepiston at the bottom of its stroke and ready to ascend to eflect thecompression of the mixture drawn into the cylinder on the down stroke.It will he noted also that the piston has been rotated rather sharply tothe right at the end of the down stroke. This rapid rotation oil thepiston continues until after the piston has begun the compressionstroke. F 12 shows the piston at about the middle of the compressionstroke, where, as will be noted, the piston slot is no longer inregister with the inlet port 38; nor, for that matter, in register withthe auxiliary exhaust port 39. Fig. 13 shows the piston at the end ofthe compression stroke and ready for the firing of the cylinder charge.Fig. 14 shows the piston at the middle of the ignition stroke. In Fig.15, the heavier dotted lines show the piston just prior to the end ofthe working stroke, while the lighter dotted lines indicate thecondition at the end of the stroke. It will be noted that the piston hasbeen rotated sharply to the left just at the end of the down stroke. Itwill be noted also that there has been no material rotation of thepiston during the compression stroke or during the firing stroke whichfollowed.

Fig. 18 may well be considered in conjunction with Fig. 1.5, since Fig.18 shows the position of the main exhaust passages at the end of theignition stroke. It will be noted that the shutters 41 are at this stagein an angular position such that the exhaust ports 40 are opened duringthe latter part of the ignition stroke. The crank angle at which theopening of the main exhaust ports occurs is determined by the locationof the exhaust ports in the wall of the cylinder.

The piston having reached the end of the ignition stroke and the mainexhaust ports having been opened to permit the expulsion of the majorpart of the gases of combustion, the piston proceeds upon its up orexhaust stroke as indicated in Fig. 16. lVhile the main exhaust ports4-0 are completely closed as soon as the head of the piston rises abovethe ports, the outlet to atmosphere is continued through the auxiliaryexhaust port 39. The slot 36 is for this purpose rotated into a positionsuch that it registers with the port 39. The register of the auxiliaryexhaust port with the piston slot is maintained approximately until theend of the exhaust stroke, when the piston is rotated to the left tobring it again into the position indicated in Fig. 9.

Fig. 17 shows the position of the exhaust port shutters at the end ofthe intake stroke. It will be noted that the angular position of thepistons at this stage of the cycle is such as to maintain the closure ofthe main exhaust ports.

Having illustrated and described in this way the movement of the piston,it will not in our opinion be necessary to elaborate further upon thecam surfaces which impart the necessary motion of rotation to thepiston. We believe it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatthe cam surfaces may be designed to give the piston the rotary motionnecessary to effect the opening and closing of the ports as hereindescribed. It is, in our opinion, also a matter of design to vary thecam surfaces and rotating mechanism, in order to give the piston arotational movement such as may be necessary to accommodate ports ofsizes and dispositions other than those which we have used to illustrateour invention. It will be obvious also without elaboration on our partthat the number of piston slots in each piston may be increased, ifdesired, it being necessary, of course, to provide the necessary portsfor cooperation with each such added piston slot. An increase in thenumber of: piston slots will reduce the amount of angular motionnecessary to secure passages and openings of the size necessary topermit the rapid flow of gases. The same principle applies to the mainexhaust port, where we have illustrated three port openings and threeshutters. These give a cross-sectional area of the exhaust opening threetimes as large as could be secured if but a single port were employed.The number of exhaust ports and shutters is not limited to three, butmay be increased as desired and in accordance with the nature of thework to be performed by the engine.

Most of the other features of the engine herein shown and described donot differ necessarily from standard practice already in vogue and wellunderstood biy tlrose skilled in the art. For this reason a cursorydescription will suflice: At 56 we have shown the main exhaust manifoldconnected with the main exhaust ports 40 of the several cylinders. At57, is illustrated the auxiliary exhaust manifold which in the drawingsis formed integrally with the intake manifold 58. The exhaust manifold57 connects with the auxiliary exhaust port 39 of the several cylinders,while the intake manifold 58 connects with the intake ports 38. Acarbureter 59 is connected to supply a mixture of air and gas to theintake manifold in the usual manner.

The pump and magneto shaft 60 is driven from the crank shaft by thechain belt 61 and the sprocket wheels 62 and 63. The pump 64: is adaptedto supply cooling water to the water jackets, the supply being drawn inthrough the pipe 65 and delivered to the water jackets through the pipe66. The pipe 67 leads from the water jackets to the radiator ordinarilyemployed in automobile construction.

The spark plugs 68 are connected in the usual manner with the magneto69, whereby properly timed ignition is effected in the severalcylinders.

While lubrication can be effected in various ways, we have chosen toindicate a system in which the troughs 70 are provided in the crankcase. The spoons on the connecting rods dip into these troughs in amanner well-known to those skilled in the art. An oil pump 71 pumps oilfrom the bottom of the crank case and delivers it through the pipe 7 2to the several pans or troughs. The oil pump is operated by an eccentric73 upon the cam shaft, as shown. The cylinder may be lubricated in anyof the various ways known to the art. The cranks and connecting rodswill throw a considerable amount of oil into the lower ends of thecylinders with the result that the guides and guide rods will act in ameasure as pumps to pump oil up into the piston modifications and studslidably fitting guide holes. Accordingly, we have drilled holes 80,which lead from the closed ends of the guide holes to the space in theinterior of the piston. These holes serve two purposes, first, inpreventing air cushions at the ends of the guide holes and, second, inpermitting the expulsion of oil. These holes are so located as to pouroil out upon the upper ends of the connecting rods and the bearingsurfaces appurtenant thereto.

It willvserve no useful purpose for us to expatiate upon what we believeto be the advantages of the invention herein described; nor Will it benecessary to attempt to describe, or even to mention, all possiblevariations. The spirit and scope of our invention is to be read in thefollowing claims:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, apiston adapted to reciprocate therein, crank shaft, a crank, aconnecting rod connecting the piston with the crank, a guide holeextending longitudinally within the piston, a guide the guide hole, aguide plate, a cam controlling the angular position of the guide plate,and means for communicating m'otion'from the'erank shaft to the cam.. V

'2. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of a cylinder, a piston, a crank shaft, a crank, aconnecting rod having universal connection with the piston and havingconnection also with the crank, a guide plate at the lower end of thecylinder, guide studs projecting from the guide plate and running inguide holes in the piston, a cam driven by the crank shaft, a leverextending from the guide plate and driven from the cam to change theangular position of the piston during its reciprocation.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an enginecylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate therein, a piston slot throughthe side wall of the piston, the slot extending along and. around thepiston in a substantially helical line, a gas passage connecting thepiston slot with the head of the piston, inlet and exhaust ports in thecylinder Wall, piston guide mechanism, and a cam driven by the crankshaft for operating the guide mechanism to oscillate the piston to bringthe piston slot alternately into register with the inlet and exhaustports.

4. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a cylinder havingintake and exhaust ports, a reciprocable and oscillatory piston in thecylinder, said pislon constituting a valve to control the said intakeand exhaust ports, and mechanism for oscillating the piston only duringportions of the engine cycleother than the compression and power strokesto provide communications between the cylinder and the intake port 011the intake stroke and between the cylinder and the exhaust port on theexhaust stroke and to prevent communication between the cylinder andeither one or both of said ports during the compres sion and powerstrokes of the piston.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 4th day ofApril, 1912.

BENJAMIN T. MCCANN'A. FRANK O. HEIN EN. \Vitnesses LEONARD W. NOVANDER,LEONARD E. BOGUE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0. v

